Boosting the Electrical Performance of PLA ‐Based Triboelectric Nanogenerators for Sustainable Power Sources and Self‐Powered Sensing

A flexible TENG with high output is fabricated by assembling mPEG-modified PLA and P(VDF –TrFE) electrospun films. The optimized TENG achieves significant performance improvements by tuning the crystallinity and molecular dynamics of PLA fibers. This work provides new insights into tuning the structures and properties of electrospun polymers to reinforce the TENG output and self-power ed systems. AbstractTriboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have emerged as a promising technology for harvesting mechanical energy from the ambient environment. However, developing tribopositive materials with strong piezoelectric effects and high electron-donating ability still remains a challenge. Herein, poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether (mPEG) to soft poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is adopted, then PLA/mPEG nanofibers are fabricated under electrospinning and used as the tribopositive material for fabricating robust power density TENGs. The crystallinity and dynamic mechanical properties of PLA/mPEG nanofibers are investigated. The results revealed that the incorporation of mPEG provided an effective approach to elevate the electron-donating ability and charge transfer efficiency in PLA. The PLA/mPEG-based TENGs achieved a high open-circuit voltage of 342.8  V, a short-circuit current of 38.5 µA, and a maximum power density of 116.21 W m−2 over a 2  cm2 contact area at an external load of 106 Ω, respectively. Strikingly, excellent stability and durability are demonstrated after contin...
Source: Small - Category: Nanotechnology Authors: Tags: Research Article Source Type: research